Sling



J. M. GARRIS Jan. 3, 1939.

SLING Filed Deo. 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 3,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE SLING ration of Wisconsin Application December 3, 1937, Serial No. 177,943

12 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to a sling and to the method of making it. i It has for one object tok provide a sling formed of wire rope'in which a part of the rope is twisted and the remainder is braided or threaded back through the twisted part to form a sling in which there are four ropes extending the length of the sling.

Another object is to provide a method for making such a sling, in which the sling, resulting from the method, is uniform in thickness and in the direction of braiding from end to end, so that the sling is free :from irregularity and irregular twisting which might produce uneven or unsatisfactory wear.

Another object is to provide a sling formed of a ,pair of members which' is each twisted and in which the two parts thus partially .twisted are placed together and braided or interwoven so that the untwisted part of each is braided through the twisted part of the other. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating a rope sectionbefore braiding or twisting;

Figure 2 is an elevation illustrating the same section after twisting and before braiding;

Figure 3 is an elevation illustrating on an enlarged scale the member of Figure 2 after the braiding has been partially completed;

'Figure 4 is an elevation illustrating the completed sling after braiding is completed;

Figure 5 is a view generally similar to Figure 2 but showing the twisting extending not wholly from the end of the member but extending from a point spaced away from the end;

Figure 6 is an elevation generally similar to Figure 4 but illustrating the completed sling in which the member 5 is used;` Figure 7 illustrates afurther` modified form of the invention in which two original members are 'used and shows each twisted before braiding; Figure 8 is an elevation illustrating the two fmembers of Figure 7 placed together preparatory to braiding; and

Figure 9 is an elevation illustrating the completed braid.

Like parts are designated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, a rope section or member A is bent, preferably centrally to produce two halves I and 2. As shown in Figure 2, the member A is placed over a pin or hook 3 for convenience in manufacture and has been twisted upon itself for roughly about one-half its length to produce a twist extending always in one direction. the center oi the. rope section an initial eye B. As shown in Figure 2, the twisting produces a series of loops or openings 4, 4,- 4. After the twisting has been carried out as far as is desired, the untwisted ends are bent across as shown in the dotted line position of Figure 2 and are pushed through the first or lowermost of the loops or openings 4. In being thus bent, the rope end I produces a loop 5 and the rope end 2 produces a loop 6. When the bending' is complete and at the start or approximately at the start of the braiding, it is frequently convenient to attach a wire or cord 1 to hold-the parts in place and for convenience in manufacturing.

For purposes of convenience, although the rope member A, after having been bent or folded, is'

said to have formed two rope sections I and 2, that portionv of each section which is bent upwardly for braiding or interlacing is considered as Ia and 2a respectively. Thus, that portion of the total half I whichy is reversed to form the loop 5 is, as 'interlaced or braided, renumbered as la, and correspondingly that portion of the rope half or section 2 which is bent to form the loop 6 is renumbered as 2a above that loop.

Figure 3 shows on an enlarged scale the interlacing of the loops and the braiding of the rope sections. The rope section I crosses over the rope section 2, is bent to form the loop 5 and then in reversed direction passes upwardly, coming out on top and passing through the rst loop 4.

downwardly, passing upwardly through the second loop 4 and downwardly through the third loop 4. The rope section 2 having passed below the rope section I isbent to form the loop 6, passes through the loop 5 downwardly and cornes out in the first loop 4, being numbered 2a at that point, swings to the left and passes downwardly through the second loop 4 and under the member Ia -at vthat point, and then comes upwardly through the loopf. This process is repeated and is shown in the completed sling in Figure 4. The free or upper ends of the sections la and 2a are finally spliced together to form a second eye which lies parallel to the eye B and thus completes the sling. A wire or other fastening 8 may be put around the two eyes at the upper end of the sling as shown in Figure 4.

It will be noticed that in Figure 4 particularly there is no reversal of direction of the several The twisting produces at approximately.

` in Figure 2. This form of the sling.

rope sections as they run from end to end of the sling itself. Each 'time the section I a appears it crosses in the same direction and each time the section 2aappears it crosses in the same direcf tion. Thus the sling is symmetrical from end to endpancl the wear on the rope sections, due to their positioning in the sling, is as nearly uniform throughout as possible.

In the form shown in Figures 5 and 6 the rope section is the same as that of the other gures. A member A is bent to form two sections 9 and III, and for convenience -in manufacture it may be put over a pin or projection 3 as shown however, diifers from that of the rst four figures by the fact that the twist begins at the center at which a center loop II is formed. By starting at the center of that portion of the sling which is to be twisted and twisting there, the result is that the twisted portion is twisted equally but in opposite directions from the starting point. The method of braiding or interlacing the sling is generally the same in the form of Figures 5 and 6 as that described in connection with Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

lower end of the 'sling is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 4 except that the vari'- ous sling parts cross over in the opposite direction. This is due to the direction of twisting caused by starting at the center at the loop II. Except for this diiference in direction, the lower 'section of sling 6 is the same as that shown in Figure 4. When the sections 9 and IU are motions;

reversed or bent upon themselves to start braiding, the section 9 forms a loop I2 and the section IU forms a loop I3. At this point they may be attached together by a wire I4 or in any other manner. Startingvfrom this end, the interwcavingor braiding is, as above mentioned, carried out in the same manner as shown in greater detail in Figures 3 and 4. When, however, the center of the twisted portion is reachedv because the twisting has run in opposite directions from the center, the direction of the braiding of the members llaA and` Illa must be changed. That is to say, the direction in which they cross is changed. For that reason, the members, Ainstead of crossing when they reach the loop II, pass straight or form what is known as a cross-over. This is shown at the point X at the center of Figure 6. After this change of direction, which was necessitated by the change in the direction of twisting, has occurred, the braiding or interweaving continues in the same Way and the sling is completed, generally in the same manner as that shown in Figure 4. Wire or other fastening members I5 are used when the braiding is complete. The ends 9a and I 0a are spliced together to form a loop which is interlaced with the loop B and the sling is complete.

The sling thus differs from that form shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive only by the fact that it has a reversal of direction at its center. It will be noticed that the upper half of Figure 6 is exactly like Figure 4 and that the lower half of Figure 6 shows the reversal in direction with respect to Figure 4. The cause of this is clear by comparison of Figures 2 and 5, which shows that in Figure 2 the twisting has been from one direction from end to end while in Figure 5 it is from the center outward and thus in two di- Figures 7 and 8 and 9 illustrate a modied form in which instead of braiding partially twisted sections back on themselves, two partial- As shown in Figure 6, thel ly twisted sections are used iitted together and then braided to complete the sling.

As shown in Figure 7; there is one twisted rope section generally like that of Figure 2 in ywhich a rope member I6 is bent to form an initial eye I 1 and to form two sections I8 and I9.

'I'hese are twisted upon themselves to form the loops 20. Below or beyond the point of twisting, the sections are renumbered as l8a and I9a respectively. A similarly made section 2| is bent to make the initial eye 22 and to form members 23 and 24 which upon twisting produce loops 25. Below or beyond the twisted portion these members are renumbered as 23a and 24a respectively. It will be noticed that as these two sections lie together in Figure 7 the direction of the cross-over 'of one is the opposite of that oi the other and this is necessary to produce proper braiding.

As shown in Figure 8, these sections' have been put together and braiding may commence. The portions 23a and 24a of the vsection 2| are braided into the loops 20 of the section I6 and correspondingly the portions I 8a and I9af' are braided into the loops 25 of the section 2I. The sling at the completion of braiding is shown in Figure 9. The loose ends of the sections 23a and 24a may be spliced together and correspondingly the looseends of the sections I8a and I9a may be spliced together and the sling is thus completed. About the eyes fastening means 26 and 21 may be attached if desired.

I claim:

l. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling it upon itself. twisting it for a portion of its length after doubling and forming thereby a. series of loops in the twisted portion, braiding the untwisted ends through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member.

2. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it for a portion of its length after doubling and forming thereby a series of loops in the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted ends and braiding them through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member.

3. The method of forming a, braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it for a portion of its length after doubling and forming thereby a series of loops in the twisted portion, braiding the untwisted ends through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member and splicing the free ends after the completion of the braiding.

4. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling itI upon itself, twisting it for a portion of its length after doubling and forming thereby a series of loops in the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted ends and braiding them through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member and splicing the free endsafter the completion of the braiding.

5. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it for a portion of its length in one direction, after doubling and forming thereby a series of loops in the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted ends and, braiding them through the loops so formed and forming a fourvpart braided member.

6. The method. o1' forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it for a portion of its length in one direction, after doubling and forming thereby aserles of loops in the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted` ends and, braiding themy through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member, and splicing the free ends afterv the completion of the braiding.

"1. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a single rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it for approximately one-half its length, after doubling and forming a series of loops in the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted ends and braiding them through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member and splicing the free end s after the completion oi' the braiding.

8. The method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a single rope member doubling it upon itself, twisting it in one direction for approximately one-half its length, after doubling and forming a series of loops Ain the twisted portion, reversing the untwisted ends and, braiding them 'through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member and splicing the free ends after the completion o'f the braiding.

9. The method of Vforming 'a braided rope y member which includes the following steps: taking' a rope member, doubling it upon itself, twist ing it for approximately one-half its length and producing thereby an equal vnumber of oppositely formed cross-overs and forming a series of loops in the twisted portion, lbraiding the untwisted ends through the loops so formed and forming a four part braided member in which the portions braided through the loops are directed oppositely with respect to each other from the center of the resulting member 'to its ends.

10. 'I'he method of forming. a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: ltalring a pair of rope members doubling each upon itself, twisting each forapproximately one-half its length, braiding two` such twisted rope members together and braiding the untwisted ends of each.

member through the 'twisted portions of the other member and forming thereby a four part composite braided member. I

11. The. method of forming a braided rope member, which includes the following steps: taking a pair of rope members doubling each upon itself, twisting eachl for approximately one-half its length, braiding two such twisted rope members together and braiding the untwisted ends of each member through the twisted portions lof the other member and forming thereby a four part composite braided member, and splicing the free ends of said rope membersafter the completion of the braiding,

12. A unitary rope 'sling comprising a lsingle rope member, said member being folded upon itself and being arranged in twisted formation for part of its length to provide a plurality of loops. the terminal ends, co prising the untwisted portion, being folded back upon'the twisted portion andeach untwisted end being inserted through each loop frombpposite sides thereof throughout the length `of the twisted portion.

. v JOSEPH M. GARRIB. 

